Halibut crudo
Complementary shawarma with cabbage strips and amba.
Cured wild salmon, purple onions, fingerling potatoes and B. Bendik & Son Rye
Foie Gras Terrine, Saffron Lebne, White Nectarine, Pistachio and house-made pita
Lamb and Pork Paté, House Pickles, Green Chili
Head-on blue prawns with radish
Farm Egg Shakshouka, Yogurt Emulsion, Sweetbread and crostini
Veal sausage and garbanzo beans
Roasted Quail, Cinnamon Consommé, Kibbeh
House-made tagliolini with mussels
Lamb belly
Strawberry parfait, sesame, sumac and halvah cream
Chocolate mousse with a cocoa nib crisp and honey-milk sorbet
Fig tart with frangipane, sherry and a goat's milk ice cream.
Blueberry cake, mulberries, creme fraiche and olive oil gelato
Peaches roasted in butter, honey, basil and pistachio gelato
Petite fours
Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang, dude. I don't know why I thought I wasn't going to be impressed by this place just from the name, but everything looks awesome! The peaches? The parfait? The shawarma that look like Asian pork buns?
ReplyDeleteYeah, the food at Mezze is solid, and the front of house team is always incredibly generous. Unfortunately, this meal was so long ago that I've forgotten many of the details.
DeleteP.S. I read the recent chowhound post regarding Per Se and must say that I very much enjoy reading your restaurant commentaries! They're honest and avoid the herd language that a lot of other bloggers use as crutches.
Andrew, great review as usual. Been reading your blog for a while and recognized your handle on your recent post on chowhound re: coming to Chicago. Alinea is a must, and I don't think you'll be peckish afterward. But if you have a huge appetite, Longman & Eagle, Big Star, and Aviary are all great late night eats. I'm less enamored by Charlie Trotter's and Tru. But since Trotter's is shuttering soon, it might be worthwhile to check it out for your edification. Other than Alinea, the best fine dining places in Chicago are Ria, Topolobampo, and EL ideas.
DeleteHave fun in Chitown. I look forward to reading your reviews.
Hi Rich,
DeleteThanks for stopping by. Sorry there isn't an actual write-up for this second trip to Mezze; I happened to stumble upon the photos, and they seemed inviting.
Regarding Chicago, my expectations for Trotter's aren't terribly high, but as you noted, given that it's closing, I thought I'd at least give it a try. And by the time I eat at Trotter's two weeks from now, I will have been living on a reduced diet of hedonism for four-and-a-half months, so any multi-course dinner is likely to be looked upon favorably.
By the way, great review of L2O. The food looks amazing, though the service sounds totally second-rate. And thanks for the late night suggestions!